Pep Guardiola praised Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne after he returned from a five-month injury absence on Sunday.

De Bruyne came on as a 57th-minute replacement in City’s 5-0 FA Cup third-round win over Huddersfield.

The 32-year-old, who took over as captain as soon as he entered the game, set up Jeremy Doku for his team’s fifth goal.

“Kevin must know how much the people love him,” Guardiola remarked after the game. “He’s amazing.

“Until he decides to leave or retires, Kevin will be one of the most beloved players.” We are overjoyed for him.”

De Bruyne was injured after injuring his hamstring against Burnley on the first day of the Premier League season.

After suffering a hamstring injury in the UEFA Champions League final in May, De Bruyne needed surgery to correct the problem.

Guardiola later recommended caution on the midfielder’s return, implying that he may not be able to play 90 minutes right away.

“I said before that he needs to accumulate training sessions more than games,” he went on to say.

“At Newcastle we have another chance and then two weeks to have some good training in Abu Dhabi.”

City’s next Premier League encounter is against Newcastle on January 13 and will be shown live on TNT Sports 1.

The club will then take a vacation before playing in the fourth round of the FA Cup on January 27 or 28.